By 2023, air quality in China’s prefecture-level and above cities reached about 86.0% good days, while annual PM2.5 levels averaged about 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022. PM2.5 chemistry also points to where control efforts matter, with sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium together making up more than 50% of PM2.5 components. The shift reflects policy and enforcement milestones, from ultra-low emission retrofits in power to graded emergency controls for heavily polluted days.
Key Takeaways
- PM2.5暴露导致的全球死亡中，东亚（含中国）的占比约为27%（估计）
- 2020年中国发布并实施《生态环境保护综合行政执法事项指导目录》（涉及大气污染执法）
- 中国于2018年实施超低排放改造，电力行业完成超低排放改造的机组比例在多地统计中超过90%（行业统计口径）
- 2021年中国发布《重点行业挥发性有机物综合治理方案》，将重点行业VOC治理纳入大气污染防治体系
- 2018-2023年期间，中国煤电超低排放改造累计机组规模达到约10亿千瓦级别（行业累计口径）
- 2022年中国电力行业颗粒物排放强度持续下降（相对2010基准，行业趋势评估）
- 2023年中国光伏装机容量达到约6.0亿千瓦（行业数据库口径）
- 2015-2020年间，中国的空气污染减排措施带来的健康收益净现值估计为数千亿美元（政策评估研究口径）
- 2020年中国环境治理投资规模在生态环境领域达到数万亿元人民币量级（行业统计口径）
- 2022年中国大气污染治理相关市场规模（除尘脱硫脱硝、烟气治理等）达到约人民币数千亿元级别（行业统计口径）
- 2013年中国PM2.5年均浓度为每立方米约58微克（μg/m³）
- 2022年中国地级及以上城市PM2.5年均浓度为每立方米约30微克（μg/m³）（全国口径）
- 2023年中国地级及以上城市空气质量优良天数比例为约86.0%（全国口径）
- 2021年全球与空气污染相关的过早死亡中，中国约占约1/4
- 2022年中国PM2.5化学组分中硫酸盐、硝酸盐、铵盐合计占比约为50%以上（典型观测/综述口径）
China expands ultralow emissions, VOC control, and cleaner transport while PM2.5 monitoring coverage rises.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health & Mortality1 stats
01
PM2.5暴露导致的全球死亡中，东亚（含中国）的占比约为27%（估计）
Interpretation
Health & Mortality Interpretation
From a Health and Mortality perspective, roughly 27% of global deaths tied to PM2.5 exposure are estimated to come from East Asia including China, underscoring the region’s outsized share of air pollution related health burdens.
02 · Category
Policy & Regulation4 stats
01
2020年中国发布并实施《生态环境保护综合行政执法事项指导目录》（涉及大气污染执法）
02
中国于2018年实施超低排放改造，电力行业完成超低排放改造的机组比例在多地统计中超过90%（行业统计口径）
03
2021年中国发布《重点行业挥发性有机物综合治理方案》，将重点行业VOC治理纳入大气污染防治体系
04
2023年起中国对重污染天气应急响应实行分级管控机制，全国统一制度安排（应急体系）
Interpretation
Policy & Regulation Interpretation
Under China’s Policy and Regulation push, major enforcement and air-quality controls have been tightened from 2018 through 2023, including over 90% of power units completing ultra low emission retrofits and the 2023 rollout of a nationwide tiered emergency response system.
03 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
2018-2023年期间，中国煤电超低排放改造累计机组规模达到约10亿千瓦级别（行业累计口径）
02
2022年中国电力行业颗粒物排放强度持续下降（相对2010基准，行业趋势评估）
03
2023年中国光伏装机容量达到约6.0亿千瓦（行业数据库口径）
04
2023年中国新能源汽车销量达到约900万辆（中国乘用车新能车/行业数据统计口径）
05
2020年中国PM2.5监测覆盖的地级及以上城市数量达到约320个（环境监测网络规模口径）
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Under Industry Trends, China’s shift toward cleaner power and transport is clear as cumulative ultra low emission retrofits in coal power reached roughly 1 billion kilowatts from 2018 to 2023, while PM2.5 monitoring expanded to about 320 higher level cities in 2020 and 2023 solar capacity climbed to around 600 million kilowatts.
04 · Category
Economic Impacts5 stats
01
2015-2020年间，中国的空气污染减排措施带来的健康收益净现值估计为数千亿美元（政策评估研究口径）
02
2020年中国环境治理投资规模在生态环境领域达到数万亿元人民币量级（行业统计口径）
03
2022年中国大气污染治理相关市场规模（除尘脱硫脱硝、烟气治理等）达到约人民币数千亿元级别（行业统计口径）
04
2021年中国环境监测市场规模达到约人民币2000亿元以上（行业研究口径）
05
2021年中国空气污染相关的健康成本估计在人民币数万亿元（研究估计口径）
Interpretation
Economic Impacts Interpretation
Between 2015 and 2020, China’s air pollution abatement policies generated net health benefits in the range of several tens of billions of dollars, while by 2020 it had also pushed environmental governance investment into the tens of trillions of yuan and by 2021 the air pollution and monitoring-related markets reached the tens of thousands of billions and over RMB 200 billion range, underscoring that the economic impacts of cleaner air in China are both immediate in health returns and sustained through large-scale spending and market growth.
05 · Category
Air Quality Levels3 stats
01
2013年中国PM2.5年均浓度为每立方米约58微克（μg/m³）
02
2022年中国地级及以上城市PM2.5年均浓度为每立方米约30微克（μg/m³）（全国口径）
03
2023年中国地级及以上城市空气质量优良天数比例为约86.0%（全国口径）
Interpretation
Air Quality Levels Interpretation
Across China’s air quality levels, PM2.5 annual average fell from about 58 µg/m³ in 2013 to about 30 µg/m³ by 2022 while the share of “good” air days rose to roughly 86.0% in 2023.
06 · Category
Health Burden1 stats
01
2021年全球与空气污染相关的过早死亡中，中国约占约1/4
Interpretation
Health Burden Interpretation
In 2021, China accounted for about one quarter of global premature deaths linked to air pollution, underscoring how heavily air pollution contributes to the country’s health burden.
More related reading
07 · Category
Pollutant Emissions4 stats
01
2022年中国PM2.5化学组分中硫酸盐、硝酸盐、铵盐合计占比约为50%以上（典型观测/综述口径）
02
2020年中国电力行业PM排放量约为约15.4万吨（行业排放统计口径）
03
2021年中国氨（NH3）排放量约为约2400万吨（全球清单/模型估算口径）
04
2020年中国机动车尾气NOx排放占NOx总排放的约20%左右（清单/归因研究口径）
Interpretation
Pollutant Emissions Interpretation
Pollutant emissions in China are strongly shaped by secondary aerosol formation and key combustion and nitrogen sources, with sulfate plus nitrate plus ammonium making up over 50% of 2022 PM2.5 components, power plants contributing about 154,000 tons of PM in 2020, ammonia emissions reaching roughly 24 million tons in 2021, and vehicle tailpipe NOx accounting for about 20% of total NOx in 2020.
08 · Category
Monitoring Infrastructure2 stats
01
2023年中国地面空气质量监测站点数量累计达到约36000个（含国家与地方监测口径）
02
2021年中国细颗粒物（PM2.5）监测覆盖城市数约约337个（地级及以上，监测网络口径）
Interpretation
Monitoring Infrastructure Interpretation
In 2023 China had accumulated about 36,000 ground air quality monitoring stations nationwide, and by 2021 its PM2.5 monitoring covered roughly 337 cities, showing a strong and expanding monitoring infrastructure base for tracking air pollution at both national and city levels.
09 · Category
Policy & Investment3 stats
01
2021年中国烟气治理行业（脱硫脱硝除尘）市场规模为约人民币2000亿元（行业研究口径）
02
2023年中国重点行业挥发性有机物（VOCs）治理相关推进范围覆盖约4000家企业（地方实施口径）
03
2021年中国实施“柴油货车污染治理”累计淘汰老旧车辆约150万辆（政策统计口径）
Interpretation
Policy & Investment Interpretation
China’s Policy and Investment momentum in air pollution is becoming increasingly large and targeted, with the flue gas treatment market reaching about RMB 200 billion in 2021, VOCs programs expanding to roughly 4,000 enterprises by 2023, and diesel truck pollution controls eliminating around 1.5 million old vehicles by 2021.
10 · Category
Industry Transition2 stats
01
2023年中国风电累计装机容量达到约4.1亿千瓦（行业数据库口径）
02
2023年中国电动汽车（含乘用车与商用车）累计销量突破约3500万辆（行业口径）
Interpretation
Industry Transition Interpretation
In the Industry Transition category, China’s wind power has reached about 410 GW of cumulative installed capacity in 2023, while electric vehicle sales have surpassed roughly 35 million vehicles, signaling a rapid shift in the energy and transport sectors toward cleaner technologies.
11 · Category
Transport & Urban2 stats
01
2023年中国城市建成区面积约为约6.8万平方公里（统计口径）
02
2022年中国铁路货运量约为52.5亿吨（统计口径）
Interpretation
Transport & Urban Interpretation
In the Transport and Urban context, China’s urban built-up area reached about 68,000 square kilometers in 2023 while railway freight volume stood at roughly 5.25 billion tons in 2022, highlighting how major city expansion coincides with heavy transport activity that can influence air pollution levels.
report visual · Key figures
China’s air pollution progress vs. exposure and air quality
China shows substantial improvements in air quality and pollution controls, while remaining a major share in regional/global pollution burden.
2022
2022年中国地级及以上城市PM2.5年均浓度为每立方米约30微克（μg/m³）（全国口径）
86%
2023年中国地级及以上城市空气质量优良天数比例为约86.0%（全国口径）
90%
中国于2018年实施超低排放改造，电力行业完成超低排放改造的机组比例在多地统计中超过90%（行业统计口径）
2021
2021年中国细颗粒物（PM2.5）监测覆盖城市数约约337个（地级及以上，监测网络口径）
27%
PM2.5暴露导致的全球死亡中，东亚（含中国）的占比约为27%（估计）
2021
2021年全球与空气污染相关的过早死亡中，中国约占约1/4
source-verifiedmee.gov.cn · iea.org · thelancet.com2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). China Air Pollution Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-air-pollution-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "China Air Pollution Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/china-air-pollution-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "China Air Pollution Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-air-pollution-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)